Jacob d



(No Model J. 1). HOOVER;

GAR COUPLING.

No. 582,920. Patented May 18,1897.

NW N

INVENTOR WITNESSES:

m: NORRIS Pz'fzns c0. wore-urns. WASHINGTON n c UNITED i STATES FATENT 4Fries,

JACOB D. HOOVER, OF NVINCHESTER, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALE TOGEORGE R. BLAKE, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 582,920, dated May 18,1897.

Application filed April 1, 189.7. Serial No. 630,288. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AOOB D. HOOVER, a

citizen of the United States of America, residthe art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanyin g drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements incar-couplers of the Janney type, the object of the present inventionbeing to provide means of novel construction for connecting the draw-barof such a coupling to the car-body so that the coupling-head will actefficiently on curves, also to provide means for adjusting the drawheadfrom the side of the car.

The further object of the invention is to provide means for raising thelatch of the coupling-head by means of"-a bar which extends from thecoupling-head to the side of the car, which can be operated eitherdirectly from the side of the car or from the top through theintervention of a vertical brakebar.

Having the above ends in view, my invention consists in a draw-barhaving a longitudinal slot which engages with a vertical pin, and a rearextension forengagement with the rearwardly-curved transverse bar orsegment which permits of the adjustment of the draw-bar andcoupling-head. The invention also consists in providing the draw-barrear of the coupling-pin with an arm which is connected to aforwardlyprojecting lever for manually adjusting the draw-bar.

The invention further consists in means for operating the latch, whichconsists of a bar having a feather which engages with the bar, saidspool being held normally raised by a spring, means also being providedfor depressing the spool so that the same when depressed will be inpositive engagement with the brake-bar.

My invention further consists in the construction and combination of theparts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out intheclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view showing the mannerof attaching the coupling to the car, and the means for adj usting thecoupling-head and operating the latch. Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

A refers to the coupler -head, having a knuckle and latch of the usualtype. The latch is provided with an aperture having an enlargement andis retained in place by a bar B, which. has to one side an enlargementor projection for engagement with the shoulders formed by theenlargement of the aperture through the latch. The couplinghead has arearwardly -extended portion 0, and at a suitable distance in rear ofthe coupling-head is a slot 0, through which passes a pin d, whichengages with a frame suitably secured to the under side of the car.

D refers to a frame consisting of rearward] y-divergin g sill-piecesD,which are connected together at their forward ends by transversepieces d, through which the pin d passes. The rear ends of thesill-pieces D are connected by atransverse beam D The frame thusconstructed is rigidly attached to the under side of the car-body in anysuitable manner, and between the sill-pieces is secured a segmentaldraft-beam D which may be either made up of two pieces or of a singlepiece. hen made of a single piece, it is provided with a slot whichextends nearly to the sill-pieces D. A brace or support D may beprovided beneath the rear portion of the draw-bar, to which thecoupling-head is attached.

E refers to a rod which passes through the rear end of the draw-barandis encircled within the draw-bar by a spring f, one end of which bearsupon the inner end of the drawbar, while the other abuts against theplate which is retained on the draw-bar by a nut. Rear of the draw-barthe rod F is encircled by a spring f, the forward on d of which bearsagainst the rear end of the draw-bar, while its other end impinges upona washer G, the rear face of which is conical, said washer being heldagainst the beams I)". The rear end of the rod I carries a nut. To thecar-body in any suitable manner I attach a beam or plate having asegment-rack II, and pivoted thereto is a lever II, one end of which isprovided with a suitably-operated pawl for engagement with thesegment-rack, the other or inner end of the lever being pivotallyconnected to a strap or bar I, which is also pi voted to the rear end ofthe draw-bar. The lever and bar I provide means for setting or adjustingthe draw-barso thatit may be held at the desired angle for coupling oncurves, and the notches in the segment-lever are simply depressionswhich will permit the drawhead to adjust itself to the line of draft, aswhen considerable pressure is brought to bear upon the draw-head thepawl will slide out of the notches, a positive look not being desirablein this instance.

K refers to a brake-bar which is attached to the ear in the usual mannerand is provided at its upper end with a hand-wheel (not shown) of theusual type. This brake-bar below the car-body and about on a line withthe sill-pieces D carries a spool K, the upper end of which is providedwith a circumferential recess 7;. and the lower end with a transverserecess 7; for engagement with a projecting pin 7: carried by thebrake-rod. The spool is held normally raised by a stiff spring L, whichis attached to the under side of the car-body, the forward portion beingbifurcated for engagement with the flanges of the recess 7:.

M refers to a rod the lower end of which is supported by engagement withthe spring L, and this red is of sufficient length to extend to the topof the car, it lying parallel and adjacent to the brake-bar, and when itis desired that the spool should engage positively with the brake-barthe rod M is depressed, which forces the spool downward so that thetransverse recess therein will engage with the pin, so that by turningthe brake-bar the spool will be turned in unison. To the spool isattached a chain or flexible connection N, the forward end of the chainengaging with an arm carried by the horizontal rod 13, and said arm whenthe latch is down projects forwardly,so that its weight will assist inholding the latch in position to engage the rearwardlyprojecting memberof the knuckle. It will be noted that the draw-bar can be adjusted orswung at an angle by the brake rod or bar, and that the ears may beuncoupled by the same means, and that the brake can be used in the usualmanner when the spool is raised or in its normal position. In use thedraft will come upon the rod F to compress the spring f, and when thecars come together the spring f willbe compressed. The curved bar D willreceive the force of the draft: and

has great rigidity, owing to its shape being curved in the are of acircle, the pin (1 being the center thereof, and there is sul'licientfrictional contact between the bar D the nut,and conical-faced washer Gto hold the draw-bar in whatever position it may have been placed. Itwill be noted that the adjustment may be made from either side of thecar by manipulating the red It or the lever II or from the top of thecar through the brake-rod.

liavin g thus described my invention, I do not wish to be limited to theprecise construction or arrangement of the parts shown, but reserve theright to modify the same within the spirit and scope of my invention,and

\Yhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a car-coupling, the combination with the draw-bar having a slot,of a rearwardlyextending rod or tailpiece; together with a framecarrying a pin for engagement with the slot in the draw-bar, and acurved bar with which the rear end of the rod or tailpiece engages topermit a swinging movement of said tailpiece, substantiallyas shown andfor the purpose set forth.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination with a frame havingrearwardly-diverging side pieces, front cross-pieces and a curved orsegmental cross-piece adjacent to the rear end of the frame; togetherwith a draw-bar held in movable engagement with the frame and providedwith a bar or rod having springs to take up the longitudinal movement ofthe draw-bar in the frame substantially as shown.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination with a draw-bar having alongitudinal slot in rear of the coupling-head, a bar F, carryingsprings ff the rear spring impinging against a Washer G, together with aframe having diverging side pieces, the forward end of the frame havinga pin (7, a cross-bar c'urved rearwardly and provided with a slot oropening through which the rear end of the rod F passes, a bolt on therear end of the rod, the parts being organized substantially as shown sothat the washer G, and bolt on end of red I will be held in frictionalcontact with the beam or crossbar D, for the purpose set forth.

l. In a car-coupling, the combination with a coupling-head having arearwardly-extending draw-bar supported in connection with a frame so asto be moved laterally, of a bar carried by the coupling-head andconnected with uncoupling mechanism, an arm carried by the bar; togetherwith a chain or llexible connection and spool ordrum looselymounted on avertical brake-rod and means for placing the same in positive engagementwith the brake-bar, substantially as set forth.

5. In acar-coupling, the combination of a brake-rod having mountedthereon a spool or drum, aspring for normally holding the spool or drumout of positive engagementwith the brake-rod, a bar or rod fordepressing the spring and effecting a positive engagement of the spoolwith the brake-rod, a flexible con- IIO the rack, and a bar I, pivotedto the rear end of the lever and to the draw-bar, substantially as shownand for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB D. HOOVER.

Witnesses:

GEO. G. SHEETZ, H. R. BRYARLY.

